OPTIMIZATION OF ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM SUGAR MOLASSES IN NIGERIA

This paper presents the fermentation of molasses using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae at predetermined optimal environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, sugar concentration, and incubation period. The results revealed that sugar concentration of the molasses 17%, pH 4.5, temperature 30 C and incubation period of 72 hours were the optimal conditions for producing maximum 73 gL-1 of ethanol.